Misunderstood for good reason.

As a born-again believer there are many times that we can not relate to others who were in our circle of friends and family before we got saved. There is even a greater disconnect with strangers. The unsaved have a hard time relating to us and our new way of living. Many of the situations, circumstances, and events that the lost participate in are foreign to us, even if those activities were a part of our life before Christ. When we got saved, our desires, passions, and life choices changed. Everything became new. Our way of thinking and living is different.

Since you are no longer the same, people start distancing themselves. You stop getting invited to things or, when you do, you feel like a third wheel. Conversations don’t flow so easy anymore when difficult and hot topics show up. You always seem like the odd man out. The Jesus in you is in conflict with the world in them.

As you begin to live like Christ and reflect his image it often convicts and rubs the unsaved the wrong way. (John 15:18-19) Because they don’t have the Holy Spirit like you do, they can’t understand or relate to your way of thinking.

Your connection to Christ makes you unknown and misunderstood. They can’t understand you because they don’t know Jesus. If they knew him they would see his reflection in you and they Holy Spirit would give them understanding. (2 Corinthians 3:16-18)

It’s only because of your relationship with God that you have understanding. Knowing Jesus makes you different. (2 Peter 1:3-8)

It’s this difference that sets you apart. Don’t lose heart my friend. When you are mocked because or your morals and standard or ridiculed because of your principles you are in good company. Jesus experienced the same thing. John 15:18,19 says, “If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.”

The world might misunderstand you, for good reason, but you have the wisdom of the Lord to understand why. It’s this knowledge that should encourage you to continue to be the light even in the face of sarcasm, disrespect, rejection or persecution. These people need their eyes and ears open to the truth so they too can have understanding. They need Jesus. They need salvation. They need you.

Don’t lose heart. Don’t grow weary in well doing. Jesus loved not his life unto death. He was willing to die so that others might be saved. Jesus didn’t compromise and water down the truth. Jesus didn’t change who he was to fit in. Jesus was misunderstood.

What are you willing to do? Isn’t a little mockery worth the opportunity to share the gospel? Isn’t a little name calling worth the opportunity to tell somebody about a man named Jesus? Isn’t a little rejection worth living a life of holiness and purity? “Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God!” (Matt 5:8)

You’re misunderstood for good reason! John 3:1 says, “Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.“

Now GO and tell somebody about Jesus. Help them understand.